Nigeria's football leadership resigns leaving federation in crisis

Nigerian football has been left without a leadership structure after the top tier of the Nigeria Football Federation resigned on the same day. President Ibrahim Gusau, general secretary Mohammed Sanusi and all 11 members of the executive committee stepped down on Thursday in Abuja, a collective exit that comes weeks after the Super Falcons failed to qualify for the 2027 Women's World Cup and the men's team missed a second straight edition of the global tournament.

• Gusau confirmed his decision at a news conference in Abuja, saying he had consulted family, friends and stakeholders.
• His term was due to expire in 34 days, and he had been widely expected to stand for re-election.
• The Super Falcons lost to Cameroon in the Wafcon quarter-finals and then fell to South Africa in a World Cup play-off.
• The NFF has called an emergency congress in Abuja to determine what happens next.
• A FIFA-backed normalisation committee has been mooted to oversee the transition and prepare fresh elections.

Mass resignation at the Nigeria Football Federation

Gusau used a press conference in the Nigerian capital to confirm a departure that had been building for some time. He had 34 days left in his mandate and was expected to seek another term in the September elections, but the weight of recent failures and growing internal pressure led him and his entire executive committee to walk away at once.

The outgoing president said he had reached the decision after conversations with his inner circle and figures across Nigerian football. He also struck an optimistic note about the future, insisting that the experience and relationships he has built within African football will still be put to use.

Back-to-back World Cup absences mark historic decline

The Super Eagles will not be at the 2026 World Cup, having already missed the 2022 edition. For a nation with three Africa Cup of Nations titles and decades of continental dominance, missing two consecutive global tournaments is unprecedented. The only recent highlight came in 2023, when the team finished runners-up at the Africa Cup of Nations under Gusau's administration.

The decisive blow for the federation's leadership came from the women's game. The Super Falcons had appeared at every Women's World Cup since the tournament began in 1991, a perfect attendance record that ended after a quarter-final defeat to Cameroon at Wafcon and a play-off loss to South Africa. Nigeria had entered that continental tournament as defending champions.

17bn naira fund and player selection allegations

Beyond results, the federation was already facing questions over governance and money. Particular scrutiny has fallen on a 17bn naira intervention fund, around $12.66m, reportedly approved by Nigerian President Bola Tinubu in 2024 to settle outstanding payments owed to the country's national teams.

No formal findings have been published, but sources familiar with the ongoing reviews describe them as an examination of financial records and administrative procedures. A fact-finding committee set up by the NFF after the Wafcon 2026 exit has also highlighted serious problems at board level and in the organisation of national teams.

The report includes allegations that NFF board members influence team selection and that officials and even coaches base call-ups on financial gain rather than performances.

Emergency congress and potential FIFA normalisation committee

With the federation now leaderless, the NFF has convened an emergency congress in Abuja to map out its next steps. Discussions are expected to focus on the status of the executive committee and compliance with the statutes of the NFF, the Confederation of African Football and FIFA.

The uncertainty casts doubt over the elections scheduled for September. One option under consideration is the appointment of a FIFA-backed normalisation committee to oversee the transition and organise fresh polls, a mechanism used in other countries when local structures lose stability or credibility.

What Nigerian football legends are demanding

The upheaval comes amid growing calls for sweeping change. Former internationals including John Obi Mikel, Jay-Jay Okocha and Segun Odegbami have argued publicly in recent months that real progress will only come from a clean break with the familiar administrators who have presided over years of underperformance.

While the resignations create uncertainty, some stakeholders believe the crisis could open the door to long-overdue structural reforms and a cultural reset. The real question for Nigeria is whether confidence in the NFF can be restored as it grapples with both sporting disappointments and off-field problems.

Frequently asked questions about the NFF crisis